Friday Night Lights I: Raiders shut out the Jaguars

Norwood Young America won 28-0 tonight over the Jaguars football team in the season opener. The Class AA Raiders held a 14-0 lead at halftime.

When the dust settled, the returning experience NYA brought to the game proved to be too much for the Jaguars, who are breaking in four new players on the offensive line plus a new quarterback and a whole new backfield. NYA's senior quarterback, Isaac Hormann, was a 1,000-yard passer as a sophomore and junior.

Considering all that, it's remarkable that the Jaguars were able to stay within striking distance by halftime. As rough as the offense may have been tonight, the defense clearly was up to par by making it a two-score game after the first half. I was as curious as anyone about how the Jaguars would look in the season opener, but judging from the initial reports I've gotten I have a lot of hope for what could happen this fall.

Now the Jaguars set their sights on Eden Valley-Watkins. The Eagles come to town for our home opener next Friday.

Scores from games involving Central Minnesota Conference teams:
Pierz 38, Milaca 21 (the Pioneers led 25-0 at halftime at Milaca, a Class AAA school that went 2-7 last year)
Maple Lake 42, Mora 6 (the Irish had 362 rushing yards! Wow)
St. Cloud Cathedral 14, Holdingford 6 OT
Rockford Area 17, Watertown-Mayer 7
Eden Valley-Watkins 28, Mayer Lutheran 14 (the Eagles jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the second quarter and had a 22-7 lead at halftime; their quarterback was sophomore Reese Jansen)

Area football scores in Week 1:
Albany 58, Belle Plaine 28
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 40, MACCRAY 7
Little Falls 43 Thief River Falls 40
Prairie Valley 36, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 6
Royalton 34, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 20
Minneota 62, Lakeview 6
Dawson-Boyd 42, Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 8
Verndale 45, Hancock 6